FOOD INSECURITY IN THE RURAL POPULATION OF SOUTH KARNATAKA

Abstract

According to World conference on Youth (2014), Many Rural development Programmes had been implemented at the gross root level in the aim of food security and poverty alleviation at the global level. Even though so many programmes had been implemented, studies show that more than 842 million suffered from hidden hunger and 200 billion people suffered from unemployment. India is one of the developing countries experiencing transformation in consumption pattern rapidly from staple food commodities, which are rich in energy to animal derived products, fruits and vegetables and edible oils, which are rich in protein, fat and vitamins. India’s position on the Global hunger index has been fallen. This study was aimed to assess the food insecurity and nutritional status of preconception women in a rural population of north Karnataka. The purpose of the study is (i) to understand the BMI and WH ratio (ii) To understand the anemic condition based on socio economic class(iii) To examine the Calorie and Nutrient Intake in the Research Area. The methods of the study are based on both primary and secondary data. The sample size for the study is 770 respondents from Rural areas of South Karnataka state. A questionnaire is designed to determine the various factors of Health aspect. The study is based on simple random sampling method. Anthropometric measurements and hemoglobin estimation were carried out at the health centers. In 2015-16, 58.6% of the children were suffering from anemia. In 2019-21 the proportion of such children had increased to 67.1%. The government had implemented many programs to improve the hemoglobin content for sustainable livelihood, through which carb- enhancing tablets , nutritious food ,milk and eggs are provided to the gross root level however anemia among children in this age group has increased dramatically. Significant associations were found between socio-economic status and anemia (p = 0.0006) and between food insecurity and anemia (p = 0.0001).